Ah, September is here and summer is coming to an end. That means that by the end of this month, we’re likely to see the 2016 versions of QuickBooks released.  You may be thinking that with the new release coming in a few weeks that it would be wise to wait… but in fact, this may be the best time to upgrade because you have all of the end-of-season deal now going on and you are in the free upgrade window (from now going forward, all 2015 desktop versions of QuickBooks purchased directly from the Intuit Store at Intuit.com will qualify for a free upgrade to the corresponding 2016 version once it’s available).

Here’s a look at our favorite deals for September:

• $100 off Quickbooks Pro or Mac – You’ll be able to save $100.00 with this instant coupon when ordering at intuit.com. Choose from either the Pro 2015 version for PC or the Mac 2015 version for your Mac. You’ll see that both offers will cut the list price of $299.95 down to just $199.95.
• $150 off QuickBooks Premier – This is probably on elf the best deals going on right now. Use this discount to get $150.00 off on Premier 2015 at the QuickBooks Store. At installation, you’ll be able to choose the general business version or install any of the special industry-specific options (i.e. Contractor, Nonproft, Retail, etc.).
• Get 30% to 50% off on Quickbooks Online – Three out of four existing QuickBooks users are already switching to the online versions of QuickBooks so be sure to also take a look at the options available to see if any of the subscription options would work for you. Because the 30% to 50% off savings that you’ll see as a new customer for the first 6 months of service, the obvious benefits include that all your accounting data is safely stored in the cloud and accessible from any of your computers/iPads/iPhones that you may have. You don’t have to worry about loosing your data because it’s backed up automatically by Intuit and you will always be on the latest version without having to work about upgrade or product discontinuation/expiration. There are downsides as well to keep in mind, like being stuck on a subscription payment plan and the fear that someone can hack into your online account, so be sure to weigh your options carefully.
• Pick up QuickBooks at Amazon – Amazon has just about every version of QuickBooks on sale at any given moment so be sure to the sale prices there before you pick up your license anywhere else. And the discounts at this time of the year are really good – Anywhere from 20% to 45% off. Plus free shipping comes standard. You just have to remember that all downloadable orders are non-returnable and there are return restrictions on all the rest of the software products so be sure you know what terms you fall under before buying. And orders from Amazon and any other third-party reseller will not qualify for the free upgrade offer to the 2016 versions so be sure to keep that in mind.
• Costco, BJ’s, & Sam’s Club Offer – If you are a Costco, BJ’s, or Sam’s member, then you can also find some pretty good deals at these warehouse stores. This includes QuickBooks Pro 2015 with Enhanced Payroll for just $289.99, QuickBooks Premier 2015 also for $289.99, or QuickBooks Pro 2015 for $189.99. You will have to be a current club member at the respective stores to be able to buy at the exclusive member price .
• Price Match it – Last but not least, you can pick up a copy of QuickBooks from your local Staples, Best Buy, or any other electronics store that has a price-mach policy. Staples and Best Buy have probably one of the best policies as they will match their price on the identical version sold at just about any retail store or online dealer (including Amazon!). Just come prepared to show the lower price at that can be picked up at a competitor and the store manager should be able to adjust the price on the spot. Of course certain restrictions and limitations will apply so be sure to see their site for more details.

And don’t forget you can try out QuickBooks for free before you buy it. The free trial is especially useful if you’re completely new to QuickBooks, if you are upgrading from an older version, or if you are considering buying a more powerful version of the software. Just keep in mind that for PC users you can only get the free trials for online versions of the software. Mac users can choose to download and try the Quickbooks Mac version or the online versions as well.

What if I’m upgrading?

You probably noticed that we didn’t mention anything above about an upgrade discount for current QuickBooks users. That’s because Intuit doesn’t offer one anymore. Regardless if you are a new or existing customer, everyone is entitled to the same sale prices and offers. We also believe that they took away the upgrade discount to help incentivize users to switch over to online versions, which, are the cheapest option at the moment compared to upgrading your perpetual version at every release. So don’t expect to see any incentives for existing customers to come back anytime soon.

Questions? Comments?

We love to hear from you so let us know if you have any comments, questions, or difficulties redeeming any of these offers.